Builds routing information

with other Layer 3

switches and router

Open Shortest Path First

(OSPF)

Routing Information

Protocol (RIP)

Creates collision domains and buffers each

packet before switching it

Hardware – ASIC is a dedicated chip to

perform functions and is found in high-end

equipment.

Software – computer processor & software

to perform functions and is found in

general purpose equipment

Ruby Carrasco Oliver Karr Chanon Luke

Green River College IT 410

3Com ADTRAN Netvanta Internetworking Allied Telesis AMER NETWORKS Amped Wireless Approved Optics Aruba Networks Avaya B+B SmartWorx Black Box Brocade

Cisco

Co

mp

aq C

OM

TR

EN

D C

omtro

l CP

Tech

/Level O

ne CP

Tech

nologies D

-Link D

ell Eco

m E

dgecore N

etwo

rks EnG

enius E

nterasy

s Netw

ork

s Extrem

e Netw

ork E

xtreme N

etwo

rks Gen

eric HP

Netw

orking 3C

OM

IBM

iwN

etwo

rks Juniper N

etwo

rks Lead

off Len

ovo

Linksys Mikrotik Netgear Nortel Original Equipment Manufacture Perle Planet Premiertek SMC Sonicwall Supermicro TP-LINK Transition Networks TRENDnet Ubiquiti Networks

Collision

Domain

Router

Next Right

No WAN

OSI Model

A network device that forwards traffic based

on Layer 3 information at very high speeds

Extremely similar to a router

Layer 3 has optimized hardware to pass data

as fast as Layer 2 switches and make

decisions similar to a Router for transmitting

traffic at Layer 3

Has the ability to reprogram the hardware

dynamically with the current Layer 3 routing

information which allows for faster packet

processing

Operates at the OSI Network Layer

Performance vs. Cost – Layer 3 switch is more cost

effective than a high performance router for

delivering high-speed inter-VLAN routing

Port density - has more ports available than a router

with 24+ ports like a layer 2 switch

Flexibility – A large infrastructure can mix and

match Layer 2 and 3 switches. A Layer 3 can

configure to operate as Layer 2 switch and

offload processing resources from the routers

VLAN

20

VLAN

99

REFERENCE

http://www.pcmag.com/

encyclopedia/term/459

57/layer-3-switch

REFERENCE

http://searchnetworking

.techtarget.com/tip/Lay

er-3-switches-

explained

REFERENCE

http://www.ciscopress.

com/articles/article.asp

?p=102093

IF YOU ANSWERED

YES!

THEN CHECK OUT

THESE VENDORS

Does your infrastructure have a lot of

broadcasts that need better

performance?

Does each department have their own

collision domain?

Do you have subnets connected via a

router?

Do you have or plan to

implement VLANs?

Do you need high

performing VLANs?

BENEFITS

VLAN

10